From 'Mementoes of the Martyrs' : "...which provoked a Frenchman who was there to comment on the strange ways of the English, "those who are for the pope are hanged, those who are against him are burned:" Saint John-Paul II wrote: "The fact that one can die for the faith shows that other demands of the faith can also be met." Cardinal Müller says, “For the real danger to today’s humanity is the greenhouse gases of sin and the global warming of unbelief and the decay of morality when no one knows and teaches the difference between good and evil.” St Catherine of Siena said, “We've had enough exhortations to be silent. Cry out with a thousand tongues - I see the world is rotten because of silence.” Chesterton said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” Brethren, Wake up!

There follows the second part of Fr Stephen Morrison's Meditation. It is a great tribute to Father Morrison's delivery, as well as to the content of his address, that although it was given straight after a quite festal lunch, nobody was seen to nod off! The day ended with Sung Vespers and Benediction.

The Annuciation - Missal of John of Streda, 1364Chapter Library, Prague

Welcome back! In the first talk we examined the human
impossibility of comprehending fully even large numbers, let alone the
Infinite. With God, who is, in the words of St John Damascene, “Infinite and
Incomprehensible,” it is precisely the knowledge of this (ie. the fact that we know we cannot know Him) which is,
according to St Thomas Aquinas, the very point: “To realise that God is far
beyond anything we think, that is the mind’s achievement.” Our only response,
then, can be the wonder and awe which His infinity inspires in us, and an act
of adoration of the same, perhaps using these words of Cardinal Newman: “I
adore Thee, O Lord my God, because thou art so mysterious, so incomprehensible.
Unless thou wert incomprehensible, thou wouldst not be God. For how can the
Infinite be other than incomprehensible to me?” I ended by saying that Our Lady
is the finite vessel for the Infinite God, the blessed womb in which the
eternal Son of God deigned to be conceived and to grow. On this, the feast of
her Annunciation and His Incarnation, let us continue to marvel at the grace of
God at work in the young Virgin Mary who says “yes” to God’s magnificent gamble
of a question: would she become the mother of the Saviour? Her “fiat” to the
will of God effects a miracle within her, one beyond our imagining.

Text of the First Part of a Meditation given by Father Stephen Morrison, o Praem, of the Premonstratensian Canons of Chelmsford, at the Recollection held at the Little Oratory on Saturday 25th March 2017. The second part will be published tomorrow.

O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in Thy servants, in the spirit of
Thine own holiness, in the fullness of Thy power, in the reality of Thy
virtues, in the perfection of Thy ways, in the communion of Thy mysteries, -
have Thou dominion over every adverse power, in Thine own Spirit, to the glory
of Thy Father. Amen.

Welcome to this Lady Day retreat day, and thank you for
inviting me! What a great feast this is, especially for us as Englishmen –
since we have at Walsingham a shrine known as “England’s Nazareth,” and we are
celebrating the feast of the Annunciation of Gabriel to Our Blessed Lady in
that holy house which across the centuries has inspired so much devotion. If
you go to Nazareth to see the Basilica of the Annunciation, you will see the
famous Latin inscription: “Hic Verbum Caro Factum Est” – Here the Word became Flesh. And in just a few words, words at which
we genuflect each time they are read at Mass, is summarized the greatest ever
event of human history: the Incarnation. God became a man, and dwelt among us.

We are extremely grateful to The Revd Dr Michael Cullinan for the following Meditation, which was delivered during the Lenten Evening of Recollection at St James's Spanish Place on Wednesday 15th March 2017.

The Flagellation of Christ by Caravaggio

I’m not really very used to this sort of thing,
you know. I feel a bit like a sprinter suddenly called upon to do a much longer
distance. I’m used to giving short, British-length Mass homilies. Particularly
here at Spanish Place, where my Mass is squeezed tightly between two others and
so there isn’t any time to waste. But you have very kindly invited me – again –
to say a few words to you in Lent. And for somewhat longer than a hurried
Sunday homily.

Last year I said something about coming to God
as the Prodigal Son did, and staying with God through daily quiet prayer. But
what to say this year? I’m not one of those great guides who have a larder
well-stocked with spiritual conferences. And I didn’t want to be either
hackneyed, or, indeed, typecast as the tough priest got in every Lent to give
them what for.

So I turned to the Mass of today. And its
readings. But of course there are two sets. The older and the newer forms. As
it turns out the gospel is the same. It’s the story of the apostles going up to
Jerusalem, when Our Lord predicts his passion and death, and immediately
afterwards, the mother of James and John rushes onto the scene and, like a good
Jewish mother, tries to get her sons the best posts in the new government that she
thinks Our Lord is going to head.

So today I thought we might spend some time
looking at our own Lenten journey up to the Jerusalem of Holy Week and Easter
and see how we are getting on.

But the Epistle comes first. In the newer form
it’s quite safe. A piece from Jeremiah about digging a pit for the prophet.
Familiar from Passiontide. Very appropriate. And very safe.

The Annunciation by Pietro Gagliardi, 1874, in the Church of Tarxien, Malta

FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION

Through the kindness of the Oratory Fathers, Lauds, Mass, Vespers and Benediction, and the Spiritual Conferences will take place in the Little Oratory, Brompton Road, London SW7 2RP. The day will be led by Father Stephen Morrison O. Præm. of the Norbertine Priory at Chelmsford.

As ever, everyone is welcome: ALL members of BASMOM, other members of the Order in Britain, Companions and guests.

HORARIUM

10.30am Lauds11.00am First Spiritual Conference, followed by opportunity for Confession/recitation of the Rosary12.00 noon Mass

No formal arrangements will be made for lunch. For those who wish to bring something with them, we will ‘picnic’ in St Wilfrid’s Hall. Feel free to bring things to eat and drink which may be shared. Some may wish to go to a local hostelry. The day will resume with the second Spiritual Conference promptly at 2.00pm. A donation of £10 per head will be requested on the day.

I am delighted to commend the Saint John of Jerusalem blog to you in its renewed form. The Order of Saint John exists for the sanctification of its members through hospitaller work and a common prayer life, in accordance with its twin charisms of Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum. The Grand Priory of England continues to organise regular Masses, retreats and recollections throughout the year, and to celebrate the significant Feasts of the Order, so that we may come together regularly, and may link our devotional activities with the many generations who have gone before us.

This blog exists to serve this endeavour. I hope you will find it useful.

PRAYER OF THE ORDER OF MALTA

Lord Jesus, Thou hast seen fit to enlist me for Thy service among the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. I humbly entreat Thee through the intercession of the most holy Virgin of Philermo, of St John the Baptist, Blessed Gerard and all the Saints, to keep me faithful to the traditions of our Order. Be it mine to practise and defend the Catholic, the Apostolic, the Roman faith against the enemies of religion: be it mine to practise charity towards my neighbours, especially the poor and the sick; Give me the strength I need to carry out this my resolve, forgetful of myself, learning ever from Thy holy Gospel a spirit of deep and generous Christian devotion, striving ever to promote God’s glory, the world’s peace, and all that may benefit the Order of St John of Jerusalem. AMEN